The seven escapees had been wandering around the tunnels of the castle
for most of the morning. None of them wanted to admit just how lost they were.
The problem that the Miyagi four had was that the castle had been renovated
since they had left Miyagi. Nothing was where it used to be.

The other three were getting tense. None really wanted to go back, but it
was getting quite clear that if they didn't find freedom soon, that they would
have no choice but to go back. That is, if they could find their way back. Then
they would have to face the wrath of their wife, who they knew wouldn’t' be too
pleased.

"I think it's here," Subaru said at the twentieth place that
the group had stopped at.

"How can you tell?" Yoko asked.

"Check it!' Subaru ordered Shota who had the best hearing of the
group.

Shota pressed his ear against the door. He could hear talking. Once voice
sounded a lot like Ueda's. Another he knew was Jin's.

"I think we found them." Shota told him.

"You said that earlier, and we found the library!" Ryo groaned.

'Yeah, and before that, we found the Shikayko's guards room."
Maruyama said.

"We were lucky they were out at the time!" Ohkura said.

"We could have been killed!" Yoko hissed.

"I really think I've got it right this time!" Shota insisted.

"You go in and see," Ryo ordered.

"Why me?" Shota asked. He didn't understand why it had to
always be him checking out the various rooms. ""Isn't it about time
someone else did this?"

"Sorry, no you have to." Subaru told him.

"Who says?" Shota asked.

"We voted." Maruyama told him.

"No you didn't!" Shota said.

"All right, let's vote!" Subaru ordered. "Everyone who
thinks that Shota should check this room out raise their hands."

Everyone except for Shota and Ohkura raised their hand.

"Five to two." Subaru said. "You're going in."

Shota opened the door. He was terrified as he went inside. What he found
was quarters similar to the quarter they were staying in.

Prince Kame and Jin were playing chess. Jin got up, he reached for a
blaster. He knew that Jin wasn't very bright. If Shota wasn't careful, he might
get shot.

Shota raised his hands. "I give up."

"What are you doing?" Jin demanded. "Why aren't you with
your unit?"

We want to defect." Shota told him. "We want to be free."

"Who is we?" when he saw Shota's hesitation. He lowered his
gun.

"Who is this?' Kame asked.

"My name's Shota, I am one of Crown Princess Shikayko's
husbands." Shota told him. "I was born on Miyagi. In fact, we played
together as children."

"I see." Though it was quite obvious that Kame didn't see.

"You don't remember us," Shota realized. "My father was
the Empress's brother. We were raised in this castle."

"My uncle's dead." Kame gestured to Jin, who again aimed his
gun at Shota. "My cousins were vaporized by Gotsu forces. So who are you
really?"

"His name is Shota," Jin told Kame. "He is one of the
bitch’s husbands."

"Through the service tunnels." Kame explained. "What do
you want me to do with him?"

"Just keep him there." Ueda looked at Junno. "Did you hear
that?"

"We need to go." Junno decided.

Ueda picked up the genetic scanner and shoved it in his pocket.

They arrived at Kame's quarters. Ueda rang the bell. When it wasn't
answered, Junno reached over Ueda and did his special knock.

Jin opened the door. He was holding a blaster. "Come in."

Junno and Ueda followed Jin into the residence. Again Jin pointed the
blaster at the man who sat on the couch. He was barely out of his teens. But he
looked familiar to Ueda, very familiar. Ueda could remember that the man's name
was Shota. Both of Shota's eyes were black. He wore a tank top, and his arms
were covered in bruises.

Ueda glared at Jin. "Put up the blaster."

"Yes your highness," Jin sighed and put up the blaster.

"Kame, go to the Empress, tell her what is going on." Ueda
ordered.

"Why can't we use the communicators?" Kame asked.

"They might be monitored." Ueda pointed out.

"All right," Kame said, he left.

Ueda looked over the young man sitting on the couch. "You wanted to
speak to me? Why couldn't you talk to my brother?"

"Prince Kame cannot grant us sanctuary." Shota told him.
"Besides, Jin is with him. He is a simpleton. He might tell Shikayko on
us."

"I hate Shikayko just as much as you do." Jin told him firmly.

"Why did you leave your unit?" Junno asked concerned.
"Aren't you worried that Shikayko will punish them for your
escaping?"

Shota looked away from Junno. Your Highness, I do not know how much you
trust these two, but they have limiters in their minds. At a flick of a switch,
Shikayko can hear what we are saying."

"Our limiters were removed," Junno told him. "We are not
loyal to Gotsu."

Ueda realized that Shota wasn't going to talk if Jin and Junno were in
the same room. He looked at the pair. "Can you wait in the other
room?"

"As you wish, my prince." Junno went towards the bedroom, when
he saw Jin's hesitation; he grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.

Shota let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you your highness."

"What about the rest of your unit?" Ueda asked. "Are they
still in the men's quarters?"

"They are in the tunnels," Shota admitted. "Along with
Shikayko's other unit."

"I see," Ueda decided to think quickly. "Why would you
bring the other unit with you?"

"I cannot tell you that," Shota said softly. "But I cannot
just leave them to die, which they would if they stayed."

"Can I see your hand?" Ueda took the scanner out.

"Sure," Shota shrugged. He held his hand out.

Ueda ran the probe over his hand. The probe beeped. He looked it.

"Well, what does it say?" Shota asked.

"Your DNA pattern matches the same as Prince Shota of the Imperial
house of Miyagi." Ueda told him. "I am sorry, but I couldn't just
take you at face value."

"Yes, I understand why you would want to confirm my identity."

"Can you bring me your co-husbands?" Ueda asked. "I want
to scan them before I grant them sanctuary."

Shota went into the tunnels; he could hear Shota talking with several
people. They seemed to be arguing. That surprised Ueda. Junno's unit never
argued. But then, Junno's unit wasn't Miyagi.

"Are you sure we should do this?" Junno said as he came back
into the room.

"Shota is my cousin," Ueda told him. "He wants freedom,
what else is there to know?"

"He could be a spy for Shikayko." Junno pointed out.

"You were raised in men's quarters," Ueda reminded him.
"Do you really think that Shota would be loyal to Shikayko?"

"No, I suppose he wouldn't." Junno admitted.

Shota came back into Kame's quarters. He was followed by six other men.
All of them were bruised, battered. They seemed to be very wary of Ueda.

"Please everyone, sit down." Junno told them. He gestured to
the furniture in the room. There were two large couches, various chairs.

They glared at Junno, but they sat down. Ueda couldn't help but notice
that they didn't sit with their units. Instead, they seemed to pair off. Ueda
realized why they had to defect. They couldn't be with their lovers and be
Shikayko's husbands at the same time.

"What planet is the other unit from?" Ueda asked.

"Cygnus." Shota told him.

"This is part of the Miyagi Empire." Junno said.

"Yes, it is." Someone Ueda didn't recognize said. He sat next
to Shota. "My brothers and I used to be Cygnans."

"Then there will be genetic records on you." Ueda told him.
"I need to scan everyone to confirm your identities. I just need to run
this over your hands."

The first one came forwards. He put out his hand. Ueda ran the probe over
it. It beeped. "Ohkura. We can get you home if you want."

"No, my father will simply give us back to Shikayko." Ohkura
told him.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Junno asked.

"He gave us to her so that she wouldn't invade our planet."

Ueda gave the probe to Junno, who began checking the various husbands of
Shikayko.

********************

"I think this is enough evidence to make sure we can confirm your
citizenships." Ueda told the group.

"We want sanctuary." Maruyama insisted.

"Citizens of Miyagi can not be deported." Ueda reminded him.

"We were forced to give up our citizenship before we married the
bitch." Subaru told him.

"We have to be granted sanctuary." Hina said.

"I'll make sure that you are. I am going to go to the Empress right
now, and get the papers drawn up." Ueda promised. He went to Junno.
Kissing his lips. "I'll see you later."

"We're not Gotsu by birth." Ryo spat. "We're not loyal to
just our units! Uchi was our brother!"

"I died the day that Uchi died." Maru told him. "Uchi will
always have a special place in my heart."

"But still you where able to move on?" Ryo put his hands around
Maru's neck. "Two of our brothers were innocent of all crimes died simply
because they were in the same unit as Uchi! You have to pay!"

"No! You can't kill him!" Shota told him. "It’s murder,
the same as what happened to Uchi."

Just then Jin came into the room. "What is going on?"

"I am going to execute Maru." Ryo said his grip around Maru's
neck tightened to the point that Maru was turning blue.

Jin took out his blaster and shot Ryo. Ryo fell to the floor. Maru also
fell.

"Ryo!" Shota ran to his brother's side. "You killed him!'

"God dammed retard!" Subaru hissed.

"Jin put down your blaster!" Maru ordered as he got back to his
feet.

Jin sighed and threw the blaster to the floor.

"Your unit has now killed four of our brothers," Hina said.
"All of you must die."

Hina reached down and picked up the blaster, and then he pressed it
against Maru's neck.

"If you do this, you will be no better then Shikayko." Maru
told Hina.

"We are what she made us to be." Hina pulled the trigger, and
Maru fell limp to the floor.

Junno realized that his unit was in terrible danger. Junno tried to
struggle against his captors, but couldn't get away. Hina turned the gun to
Junno. He closed his eyes. He didn’t' want to see the end when it came. He just
hoped his death would be swift.

***********************************

Ueda was printing out the final copies of the sanctuary documents. It was
crazy to give sanctuary to people who were all ready Miyagi citizens, but the
law was firm. To protect all seven defectors the right papers had to be in
order. Suddenly sirens started flashing in the Empress's office. An alarm
sounded this one loud enough to wake the dead.

"We're on red alert!" The Empress touched a button on her desk.
"Security, who set off the alarm?"

"Koki's over reacting again," Kame guessed. Koki was known to
put the castle on red alert when it wasn't that serious of an issue.

"Ueda, do you want to handle this?" The empress asked.
"Kame, you go too."

Ueda ran to his brother's quarters followed by Kame. There were all ready
armed guards there, but they hadn't opened the door.

Kame used his secret code to get in. Ueda followed him.

Lying on the floor was all three members of Junno's unit, along with Ryo.
Ueda wanted to run to his lover, to hold the limp body. He had to remind
himself that he was on official business. Holding his lover could wait.

Hina pointed the gun at Ueda. "Don't make any sudden moves."

Security guards grabbed Hina and took the gun from him. A guard shoved
him against the wall and patted him down.

"You are very lucky," Kame told him. "Guns on Miyagi can
only be set to stun."

"So he's not dead." Subaru guessed.

"Right and he's going to have a very nasty headache when he wakes
up." Koki wiped his nose off. "Of course, he probably deserves
it."

*****************

Shikayko's husbands sat on the floor in the dining room of Prince Ueda's
quarters. Ryo had woken up soon after their arrival. Koki had been right; he
did have a sore head. Ryo was still a bit upset about everything. Shota sat as
far away from Ryo as he could. Ryo had this tendency to hit first, and ask
questions later.

"I know you hate Maru," Subaru told him.

"He killed our brother," Ryo reminded them.

"Maru was in love with Uchi," Shota told him. "He never
wanted to kill him."

"That's the point, he loved, and that was illegal." Ryo said.
"Isn't that enough?"

"I'm in love with Ohkura," Shota told him. "I want to
spend my life with him. Is that wrong?"

"Of course it's wrong." Ryo reached over to hit Ohkura, but he
was prevented by the other two brothers.

"If you don't want to return home, we can go back to Gotsu,"
Subaru decided. "But you know what will happen to Shota once she finds out
about his love for Ohkura."

"I was the one that Shikayko called for after killing Uchi,"
Subaru told him. "She was so hot. Torture always turns her on, but I have
never seen her this way. All she could talk about what it did to Maru."

"What do you mean? Did to him?" Ryo spat.

"Maru was forced to watch Uchi being executed." He continued.
"Then he was given a limiter that forced him to live over and over the
murder of Uchi."

"And you!" Subaru glared at Hina. "You tried to kill Junno
and Jin in cold blood. We can't have that!"

"You were as evil as Shikayko when you tried to kill the unit."
Shota told Hina. "How can we hate our enemy if we become like them?"

"You're right, I was wrong," Hina told his brothers.

"What can we do now?" Ryo asked.

"You need to go out there and apologize." Subaru told him.
"Both of you do."

***********************

Junno had beyond what was a normal headache. He hated stun guns. The
effects from stun guns made Junno wish he was back on Passion drugs, and hated
them. He sat on the couch, Ueda hovered around him. He had given Junno medicine
for his headache, and an ice pack.

Kame was doing the same thing for Jin. His brother moaned and groaned
like there was no tomorrow. All that would quiet him was to have Kame cuddle
him.

Koki had gone off to get his broken nose looked at. But there were still
guards stationed in Kame and Jin's quarters, making sure nothing else happened.

The bedroom door opened, Ryo and Hina followed by their unit came out.
All four knelt on the floor. They put their foreheads to the carpet.

"I am very sorry I tried to kill Maru." Ryo said. "I give
myself to you for judgment."

"I am very sorry that I tried to kill the unit consisting of Junno,
Jin and Maru," Hina said.

"As unit members, we also give ourselves to you for judgment."
Shota and Subaru said.

"I understand why you are angry." Maru told him. "You
where right, if I hadn't loved your brother, none of this would have
happened."

"How can you just stop loving someone?" Subaru asked.

"We are glad our brother had someone to love." Shota told him.

"Also, I shouldn't have shot first," Jin told him. "I
should have tried to find another way."

"Your highness, why would Miyagi let someone who is retarded have a
gun?" Ryo asked. "Wasn't it a matter of time before something like
this happened?"

Jin flinched; he was still very sensitive to the word. His eyes grew
narrow with anger. He tried to move towards Ryo, but Kame's hand on his arm
stopped him.

"Let Ueda handle this," Kame hissed.

"I want all four of you to sit up and look at me," Ueda ordered.
The four did. "I know you've heard that Jin is mentally retarded."

"He is," Hina said. "It's a well known fact."

"Jin's intelligence was tested soon after his limiter was
removed." Ueda explained. "His IQ is in the genius range."

"You're kidding." Hina scoffed. "Jin can barely read and
write!"

"I do not kid about things such as people's intelligence." Ueda
told him. 'The problem we have, is what we are going to do with you?"

"If you return us, we will be killed." Shota pointed out.

"If we let you stay, how can we guarantee that one of my fiancée’s
units won't be killed by one of you?"

"It won't happen again." Subaru promised. "We are members
of the Imperil house of Miyagi. We need to start acting like Miyagi instead of
Gotsu."

"This is our home, we want to stay here." Shota told him.

"Ryo, I know you're very angry." Ueda said. "I want to
know if you can put that hatred aside for the good of your unit."

"Yes, I can." Ryo looked into his eyes. "For the sake of
my brothers, I will."

"Good, because the empress has given you sanctuary." Ueda told
them. "The other unit too. From now on, you are free to live on
Miyagi."

"Why don't you tell the other unit the news?" Kame suggested.

Subaru went to the room that held the other unit. They three brothers
returned a few moments later.

The oldest, Maruyama bowed. "Thank you for giving us
sanctuary."

***************

It was all going as planned. Shikayko had brought the two units to Miyagi
for a good reason. She wanted them to defect. That would be a good excuse to
start a war against Miyagi. She knew the only way that the Gotsu Empire could
become rich was with expansion; the most natural place to expand was The Empire
of Miyagi, with its rich planets. Most of the natural resources still untapped.
The Miyagi Empire would make a good addition to the Gotsu Empire.

By orders of Shikayko, the Chief Gotsu Guard had committed an act of war.
The chief guard had disabled the security system. Then she killed the rest of
the Gotsu guards, and a Miyagi who had come to check on the cameras. After
killing the repair person, the chief guard had switched his stun gun with a
Miyagi gun that had been adapted so it could kill.

Shikayko’s' communicator beeped. Shikayko brought it to her mouth.
"What is it?"

"Everything's happened as you ordered.” The Chief guard said.

Shikayko returned to the guard’s quarters. Every guard that she had
brought with her to Miyagi was lying dead on the floor. It looked as if one had
killed the repair man before she died of her wounds.

"Very impressive," Shikayko smiled. "Where is the blaster
that was used to kill your fellow guards?"

The guard picks the gun up out of the Miyagi's dead hand. She handed it
to Shikayko. 'Here is the blaster Your Highness."

"Very good," She shot the chef guard with the blaster. The
woman fell dead to the ground. Shikayko then pus the gun back in the hands of
the dead Miyagi.

"Sorry," She told the chief guard. "I can't leave any
witnesses."

************************

Before Shikayko sounded the alarm that would alert everyone about the
death of the guards, Shikayko went into her quarters and contacted the Empress
of Gotsu. She had to have just the right timing before the war was started.

"The Empress is asleep," The Empress of Gotsu's assistant told
her.

"Wake her!" Shikayko snapped. "The information I have is
vital to the peace of Gotsu!"

A few minutes passed. Finally the Empress came on the screen; she was
wearing her night robe. Shikayko could see the Empress’s two favorite husbands
sitting in chairs in the background.

"What is the problem?" The Empress of Gotsu asked her. "It
better be good this time Shikayko."

"My husbands have been kidnapped." Shikayko lied.

"Are you sure it was a kidnapping?" The Empress asked.
"Are you sure they didn't run away? I have told you to take care of your
husbands better. You can't be torturing them all the time. They won't love you
if you do that."

"How I discipline my husbands isn't why I called you." Shikayko
said firmly. "What I called about was an act of war."

"What kind of an act of war?" The Empress of Gotsu repeated.
"Is not that Prince Ueda refuses to marry you again, is it? I keep telling
you that isn't an act of war."

"Armed Miyagi solders burst into my quarters. They took my husbands
by gunpoint." She told her. "They also won't return my brothers,
though they have told me they want to come back home."

"That is very serious."

"Mother it's an act of war!" She demanded. "Why don't we
invade?"

"I will contact my lawyers at the intergalactic court." The
Empress of Gotsu decided. "We should be able to get a court order that
forces their return."

"Wouldn't it be easier to invade?" Shikayko asked sensibly.

"Shikayko, we have to reserve war for something much more
important." The Empress paused for a moment. "If the courts don't
give us custody of your husbands and your brothers then yes, we will
invade."

"Thank you mother."

"But we have to give the courts chance to work, do you understand
me?" The Empress of Gotsu commanded. "No bombing anything before
formal war is declared."

"Yes, mother." Shikayko said sheepishly.

Shikayko sounded the alarm about the deaths of her guards.

She waited; an hour later came the communiqué. Miyagi was under
intergalactic court order to return Shikayko's husbands and the Empress's sons.
Pending a hearing by the full intergalactic court. The Miyagi Empire was given
twenty six hours to turn them over. Shikayko smiled. This time she won.